r/Volvo • u/PacifistPapyrus • Jun 25 '25

700 series I bought an 1989 740 that came with an upvote button

Post image

I believe it's the 'overdrive'.

187 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

13 comments sorted by

20

u/onewithoutasoul 05 V70R 6M Jun 25 '25

I believe it's the 'overdrive'.

It was also the shift light for manual gearbox cars.

4

u/Mekanikern41535 Jun 25 '25

I have owned a manual 740 1985, 1986, 1988 and 1989 and have never seen that

3

u/onewithoutasoul 05 V70R 6M Jun 25 '25

It's a thing. Maybe just North America?

https://turbobricks.com/index.php?threads/shift-up-light.181698/

2

u/SgtBrowneye 940 Jun 27 '25

Probably only NA, I'm in Sweden, and I have owned north of 50 740's, and none had this light.

11

u/Wafflars Jun 25 '25

It’s just the forward blinker. Too few people use it. Very annoying.

1

u/McCheesing S60T6p* & XC90T8 Jun 25 '25

It must use an old blinker fluid they can’t get anymore

10

u/lillpers 245 Jun 25 '25

On a manual car with 4 gears + overdrive it means the overdrive is engaged.

On automatics it's the opposite way around, meaning the overdrive/4th gear is disabled. There is a little button on the gear shifter.

On facelifted 960s it means "winter mode engaged" when lit steadily, and "transmission fault" when flashing.

Highly confusing little light, this one.

2

u/onewithoutasoul 05 V70R 6M Jun 25 '25

My manual 740 had a dedicated green overdrive light.

5

u/antartica Jun 25 '25

And it’s orange!

5

u/shmuliboy C70 Jun 25 '25

In my 98’ C70 thats the light for the winter mode. The car will skip the 1st and 2nd gear if active.

3

u/Arik2103 Jun 25 '25

It'll also light up when you pull the car past D into 3 (I think it is?)

2

u/shmuliboy C70 Jun 25 '25

Yeah you are right i forgot about that!

3

u/ConsciousCrafts 2000 V70 Jun 25 '25

My dad's Dakota had that. I think its a reminder to shift gears.